


It's not a love triangle (unless your name is Matsuoka Rin)

by ladyzeia



Category: Free!
Genre: Fluff, Japanese National Team, M/M, Roommates, Swimming, accidental angst, post-S3
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-07
Updated: 2019-09-07
Packaged: 2020-10-11 12:00:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20545820
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ladyzeia/pseuds/ladyzeia
Summary: It’s training camp time for Team Japan at the National Training Center in north Tokyo.  Haru has two roommates.  One is acting normal…one is not.Road to the World: Yumereferences/minor spoilers





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I finally broke down and got caught up on spoilers from the movie (on Discord🌸 and on tumblr, like this summary post by Yohao88 [here](https://yohao88.tumblr.com/post/186453357488/free-road-to-the-world-spoiler-post)), and was inspired to write this...

* * *

Day One // Monday

* * *

“Haru! Get the door already!”

Haru stifled a sigh as he fished out the key. _It would be faster without you hanging off me, you know._ Rin’s arm was hooked over his shoulder—and had been for a while, adding to the encumbrance of their gear bags and luggage. Below the placard to room 506, a sign had been affixed to the door—

_Welcome National Swim Team! Kirishima Ikuya, Nanase Haruka, Matsuoka Rin_

—above the _JAPAN_ logo in black with a bright red sakura blossom as part of the first _A_. The same logo adorned the team apparel they all wore, Haru’s jacket pinned beneath dual bag straps and Rin’s elbow. Ikuya waited off Haru’s right, patient and _quiet_ (terms that he’d never use to describe Matsuoka Rin), waiting with his headphones slung around his neck.

Haru unlocked the door and opened it, revealing a room with three beds—evenly spaced with nightstands in between, a balcony with sheer drapes facing the opposite tower of the National Training Center Athlete’s Village, plus desk and closet space, and a flat screen TV. It would be home for the next two weeks of their first ever training camp, not that Haru expected to do much in the room other than sleep, given that the NTC boasted three pools—including the teched-out 50m at the Japan Institute of Sports Sciences—in addition to the baths on the first floor of the Village.

Every day of living his dream was a little bit better than the last. There would be hard work, challenges…_dryland_…for sure, but it was all worth it to be swimming with his friends, taking on the world _together_.

_The only thing he couldn’t quite figure out—_

They entered the room, Rin drawing him back against the full-length wood-paneled closets so Ikuya could pass them. “Take your pick, Ikuya,” Rin said with a casual voice and lethal smile. “Haru and I can sleep anywhere, so...” His shrug exuded nonchalance and he still hadn’t moved his arm.

_—was why Rin was acting so weird._

As Ikuya surveyed the bed options, Rin moved in closer, his breath warm against the shell of Haru’s ear, though his whisper was clearly meant to be overheard.

“What do you think, Haru? Almost as big as the bed we shared in Sydney, huh?”

_Why are you bringing that up?_ “I count three beds, Rin.” He quirked a brow at the shark perched on his shoulder. “Unless you’re planning on using mine?”

Rin laughed. “Don’t be weird, Haru. Just because we used to.”

Haru rolled his eyes.

“It’s kind of nostalgic, yeah? When we were on the same team in sixth grade, we slept over at each other’s houses all the time. My mom cooked saba for you.”

_That was good._

Ikuya set his gear bag on the bed nearest the door, his luggage beside. “Kind of like the time our medley relay team stayed at your house, Haru?” Ikuya glanced at them (at Rin mostly), sweeping aside an errant strand of teal hair, a cool smirk in his eyes. “Only that was a week and we cooked for ourselves.”

Haru remembered. Rin stiffened and made a small noise, irritation written on his face before he composed himself, nudging Haru in the hip.

“Hmph. How was it?”

Haru couldn’t help but smile as fond memories drifted through his head. “Tasted better than it looked.”

Ikuya brightened at that, his gaze warming, cheeks dusted with pink—just like the Ikuya Haru met in middle school. He turned towards the bed, busying himself with his gear and luggage and not quite succeeding at hiding a small smile.

Rin snorted quietly, finally pulling away. “I never did cook for you, Haru, did I?” He set his things on the center bed.

“We had hot pot the other night—”

“Doesn’t count.” Rin perched on the foot of the bed and grinned, subjecting Haru—without the courtesy of a warning, like always—to the full force of a Matsuoka Rin smile. “I’ll cook something you’ll like. Let’s do it at your place, after this camp’s over.”

Haru gripped the strap of his gear bag and looked away, working moisture back into his suddenly dry mouth. “Sure.” _I want saba._ He focused on Ikuya, ignoring the heat in his face. “You should come this time, Ikuya.”

“Mm.” Rin hummed in agreement. “You should. We can each cook something.” The challenge was implicit, Rin’s voice as smooth as his smile.

There was a flicker of something in Ikuya’s eyes—just the hint of it—as he zipped up his gear bag. “Pass. But thanks for the invitation, Haru.” He lifted his headphones over his ears, turning for the door. “I’ll see you guys down there.”

Haru returned Ikuya’s wave, fighting a twinge of disappointment. 

As soon as the door was closed, Rin flopped down on the center bed with a loud _whoomph_, arms outstretched. “Haru, can you believe it? We’re really here, really taking on the world _together_—” 

—And just like that, Rin seemed normal again. (Albeit, like a giddy sixth grader, _but_…) Haru exhaled, carrying his gear bag and luggage to the bed next to the balcony.

_Maybe I’m just imagining things._

* * *

Day Two // Tuesday

* * *

“—Haru! Why aren’t you up yet?”

Haru grunted, jerked from his dreams about an endless sakura-filled pool by 68 kilos of shark splashing down beside him. “I’m up,” he muttered, rubbing his face and managing to crack an eye.

Rin was lying next to him on the bed, dressed and stretched out on his back…close enough that Haru could smell the mint on his breath.

Too close. Haru twisted away, conscious of the fact that he hadn’t brushed his teeth yet.

“Hit the track with me.” Rin prodded him in the calf through the blankets.

The blue glow through gauzy curtains said how early it was. Haru pulled the covers over his head. “Nn. Pool or saba.”

Rin chuckled. “We’ll be in the pool all day.”

_We’ve also got dryland._

The lump next to him shifted positions…absently reminding Haru of bed-sharing in Sydney, the way the mattress moved whenever Rin did. It was weird at first—feeling every time Rin stirred or rolled over, the warmth of a body within his personal space (though Rin invading his personal space was not exactly new). He’d gotten used to it by the time they left; even now, a year later, he remembered what it felt like.

“Has it been so long that you forgot?” Rin asked, his voice softer. “When we got up early to run along the beach by your place, or on the pier in Sydney?”

Haru’s fingers curled into the blankets. _I didn’t forget any of it._ The air underneath grew stifling; Haru held his breath and held still.

Rin’s next words were a true whisper, only just audible through the covers. “Come run with me, Nanase.”

Haru’s lungs emptied. He pushed the comforter down, turning onto his back—

Rin was on his side, perched on an elbow. Still too close. The longing in his gaze gave way to a sly smile—he knew he’d won.

With heat gathering in his cheeks, Haru climbed out of bed on the opposite side, nearest the balcony. “I need to change and brush my teeth first.” He grabbed his toiletry case and his dryland clothes to trade for the T-shirt and shorts he’d worn to bed.

“Five minutes, Haru.” Rin settled onto his back, slipping his hands behind his head and looking mighty comfortable on a bed that wasn’t his.

_You’re being weird again._

Haru headed for the door with his things, absently noting the way Ikuya rolled over in his sleep, facing away from the room.

-x-

The morning was crisp, mist burning off as they jogged side-by-side around the covered track, sharing Rin’s water bottle. Haru worked up a good sweat by the time they hit eight laps and slowed to a walk.

Rin checked his watch and grinned. “You’ve improved, Haru.” He drank and wiped his mouth, tossing the bottle over.

Haru caught it, glaring mildly at his friend. “I haven’t neglected conditioning.” The cool water tasted heavenly; he drank several mouthfuls.

“It shows.”

Haru swallowed and lowered the bottle, just catching the flick of Rin’s eyes down his frame. He cocked a brow.

Rin blushed, rubbing the back of his neck. “I mean, you’ve filled out. You’ll have the problem where your clothes don’t fit anymore.”

“I already have that problem,” he muttered. Some of his favorite T-shirts were too tight across the shoulders now.

Rin smiled again, catching the bottle when Haru threw it back. “If you need to borrow anything, let me know.”

“Ah.” Haru relaxed. It felt good to be teammates again, not just friends. “Thanks, Rin.”

“Eh…” Rin brushed sweaty hair from his eyes, his cheeks reddening. “Stretch a bit and head in?”

“OK.”

-x-

Haru eyed the pool as their Team Japan coaches described warmups. Glossy water beckoned under the overhead lights—eight lanes, fifty meters, with cameras and timing boards ready to go. The entire team was already stripped down to their practice suits, _JAPAN_ caps on, goggles perched on their foreheads. Haru could _taste_ the chlorine with each breath. If not for Rin’s hand clamped onto his left shoulder, he would’ve been up on the blocks—

Rin leaned in. “Pay attention, Nanase,” he whispered, a teasing lilt to his voice.

“I’m listening,” Haru said, his gaze not leaving the water. “Six hundred meters—three hundred free, one hundred each kick, drill, stroke.”

“Uh-huh.” Rin got closer, sliding an arm around him instead. “What stroke are you gonna show me, Haru?”

Invading his space again… Rin’s skin was warm against his, making the temperate natatorium seem chilly in comparison. Haru met his friend-slash-rival’s gaze head-on. “What stroke do you want to see?” _I’m good at all of them now._

Rin’s smile became a grin. “Show me fly.”

“Fine.” Haru shrugged beneath Rin’s arm. “Ikuya, fly for stroke.”

Ikuya was just to Haru’s right, working a wrinkle from his swim cap. “Sure.”

Rin exhaled through his nose, his face smoothing. The look he gave Ikuya was, charitably, not quite a glare.

_I think I’m starting to see a pattern, Rin._

The three of them had the fast lane for warmups, sandwiched in line by National Team veterans, former Olympians. Ikuya was in front for their trio as they waited for the lane four block. Rin hadn’t moved his arm and seemed determined not to as he fixed Ikuya’s back with a cool smile.

“Keep your pace up, Ikuya. Or you might get bitten.” He flashed his pointed teeth as Ikuya glanced at him. 

Haru fought a sigh.

Ikuya lowered his goggles over his eyes, stepping up to the block as their senpai dove into the lane. “Not my kink, Rin, but I’m not judging.”

“—_Tch_.” Rin flushed scarlet and Haru pressed his lips to keep from laughing.

As Ikuya dove, Haru took advantage of a flustered Rin to slip ahead. 

“I’ll go next, Rin.” He climbed onto the block, winking over his shoulder before settling his goggles into place. “Maybe I wouldn’t mind—”

“Oi!” Rin turned several shades of fuchsia and Haru smiled to himself.

Setting his feet, he dove in, following Ikuya down the lane.

-x-

Haru’s first full day of training at the national level was worse than anything Coach Azuma ever threw at him. He could barely _move_, dragging himself from the pool after their third session, straight to the ice baths. It was cold even for his liking and everything _still_ hurt when he climbed out six minutes later.

After dinner, he followed his teammates to the first-floor baths, reluctantly deciding a hot soak would help (and because others got annoyed when he hogged the 18°C plunge pool just outside the sauna). Haru washed up and eased himself into a corner of the jetted bath, wincing as every muscle in his body protested his movements, no matter how slight. If this kept up, he’d probably have to find one of the trainers later in the week and get a massage.

Folding his towel away, Haru settled back and closed his eyes. It wasn’t quiet, but he could at least pretend it wasn’t crowded, that he was back at his apartment in the bath with the TV left on—

“Haru, scoot over.”

_Damnit_. Haru exhaled through his nose, looking up at Rin—a wet Rin clutching a towel around his waist, standing just beyond the edge of the bath. Ikuya was on the opposite side of the room in the even hotter, non-jetted pool—within visual range—and _for some reason_, that meant Rin had to occupy the same space as him.

—Regardless of the fact that the jetted pool was sectioned off for _individuals_ and Haru had claimed the far section for himself.

Frankly, the thought of Rin being all handsy and close to him while they were _naked_ was intriguing and not at all unwelcome (particularly since he caught Rin checking him out this morning). But it wasn’t an experiment he was willing to try in front of half of the National Team. He’d already noticed a few long looks directed at them over the course of the day.

“No.” Haru nodded to the opposite side of the bath. “Sit there.”

Rin studied the offering and sighed. It was (generously on Haru’s part) the same section of the bath and Rin apparently deemed it acceptable, stepping over the ledge. “Don’t look unless you want a show,” he muttered, undoing his towel.

Haru looked.

“Hey!”

_Reverse psychology; you shouldn’t have said anything._ “Nice tan line.”

Rin gave him an epic scowl as he sank down, the frothing water covering his lower body and part of his torso. “Where’re your legs? So I don’t accidently kick anything.”

“Here, Rin.” Haru moved his left foot, nudging one of Rin’s ankles.

“Thanks.” Rin’s cheeks flushed pink, their calves brushing as he got settled.

_Why are you being self-conscious? It was your idea to sit together._ Haru sat back again, closing his eyes. _Whatever_.

For a whole sixty seconds, Rin was quiet. The heat soaked into Haru’s muscles. Bit-by-bit, he felt the tension in his core and in each limb unwind. Then—

“Na, Haru.” Rin’s leg bumped his underwater.

“Hm?” Haru didn’t open his eyes.

“Brutal day, huh?” Rin’s voice was relaxed now, letting Haru easily imagine a warm, boyish smile on his face. 

Haru hummed in agreement, unwilling to look—to break the spell of it being just the two of them by letting in the busyness of the baths.

“Worth it?” Rin asked.

Haru bumped his leg against Rin’s in answer, smiling. “Yeah.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> [National Training Center](https://www.joc.or.jp/english/ntc/) / [360 tour](https://www.ajinomoto.co.jp/sports/ajitoreonline/tour/) (the Athlete's Village is the green building on the left in the little map)


	2. Chapter 2

* * *

Day Four // Thursday

* * *

It was Rin’s idea to sneak down to the pool after dark.

“Let’s settle this—fifty meters, any stroke you want.” His challenge—and glare—was aimed at Ikuya (like every day this week so far). 

_Settle what?_

At first, Ikuya looked as confused as Haru felt, though he shrugged a second later, offering a cool smile. “Sure, Rin. It’ll be free then.”

Rin’s eyes narrowed, the two of them behind the lane four block, the roped-up 25-meter pool beyond. The NTC basement natatorium was mostly deserted, only a few far lanes in use by others also stealing extra pool time.

Haru exhaled through his nose, ignoring the crackle of lightning between the two rivals as he stretched his goggles over his swim cap. He was getting tired of this.

“Haru,” Rin snapped his goggle strap, “time us—”

“No.” He pushed through them, climbed onto the block, and dove without another word, leaving Rin gaping in his wake.

The cool, quiet world beneath the surface was solace. The water enveloped him, embraced him, caressing tense muscles and tugging at the irritation in his heart. He could finally hear himself think without the constant bickering of his two roommates. It was all Rin-initiated, though Ikuya was holding his own just fine. Haru remembered what it felt like—he’d fired back the same way the summer of their second year of high school, when Rin’s shark sights were set on him.

This time was different, though. Haru spiraled along the bottom of the pool, through calming flickers of light, staying down as long as possible.

Any time it was just the two of them, Rin was normal. He chided Haru for not eating more meat, challenged Haru to laps or sit-up contests, and chattered about their dream, all the places they were going to see, all of the world-renowned athletes they’d get to swim with…

Any time Ikuya was in the room, Rin got weird. It was like Rin was hyper-focused in Ikuya’s presence, whether it was the dorm-style room they shared, the pool, clinic, dining hall, even the common bathroom. If Rin wasn’t hanging off Haru in some fashion, he was in Ikuya’s face, demanding showdowns (like now), going off about their sixth-grade relay or high school or Sydney… 

More than bothersome—it was annoying and worse, listening to Rin drag all Haru’s treasured memories through the mud of whatever competition or rivalry Rin had invented with Ikuya. Not to mention the touching, the flopping down on Haru’s bed, the arm hooked over his shoulder and Rin’s whispers too close to his ear. He _liked_ Rin’s attention—ever since the day Rin left for Australia the first time, Haru felt like part of his world was missing. Rin exploded into his life with his smile, his ‘coincidences,’ his swimming. Haru’s world _expanded_ to accommodate this brash, romantic, relay-obsessed boy with his Olympic dreams and shining ambitions…

There was no way back after seeing sights he’d never seen before, and the scent of sakura even when the tree hadn’t bloomed yet and there was still snow on the ground. Haru tried to fit into the same shrunken world as before, but there was always something missing—merely absent at first, then torn from his heart on a cold January day, leaving him in a shredded, tattered world that water alone couldn’t heal.

It was all in the past now. He’d been saved by his friends and saved them in return. It hadn’t been an easy road, but they were finally here—together—and Haru was _content_.

—But this, whatever it was, was fake and stupid and he didn’t like it at all.

Haru reluctantly surfaced when air became imperative, popping up at the opposite end of the pool. Clinging to the edge, he worked off his cap and goggles, shaking the water from his face and hair as he listened for the sounds of their race…

The only splashes were several lanes over. Haru twisted back toward the start blocks—

It was just Ikuya now, sitting on the lane four block and watching him. Rin was gone.

Haru ducked underwater and pushed off, swimming back across the pool.

Ikuya got up as he surfaced, offering his hand. “Haru.”

“Thanks.” Haru clasped Ikuya’s hand and climbed out, taking another look around the natatorium.

“Rin already left.”

Haru’s fingers dug into his swim cap, water dripping down his neck. “Did he say anything?”

Ikuya shook his head, his goggles at his throat. “Not really.” His eyes were soft though, so maybe… (Haru hoped) maybe they hadn’t gotten into it while he swam.

Haru looked at the exit, the way Rin would’ve gone.

“You should head back,” Ikuya said, climbing onto the lane four block and pressing his goggles over his eyes. “I’m gonna swim a bit more before bed.”

Should he? Haru hesitated, drawing a slow breath, letting it out again.

“Haru.”

He looked up—

There was a warm, genuine smile on Ikuya’s face, the same emotion echoed in his gaze. “Your friendship’s really important to him, isn’t it?”

Haru’s breath caught, his stomach doing a hard flip-turn inside him. His grip tightened on his cap and goggles. _Rin—_

Ikuya dove in with a quiet splash, moving in lithe dolphin kicks beneath the surface and coming up to smooth, unhurried strokes of free.

Haru snatched up his towel and bag, heading for the door.

-x-

He couldn’t have been far behind, but Rin wasn’t in the locker room or in the stairwell. Their teammates and other athletes stared as he went by—Haru was _that guy_ running across the skybridge in his practice suit, barefoot and dripping on the carpet. He took the stairs two at a time in the Athlete’s Village building, arriving at the door to their shared room out of breath.

It took Haru a minute to find the key.

“Rin?” 

Inside, the room was dark, only a sliver of muted light coming in through the balcony curtains. Haru’s eyes adjusted slowly, picking out the closets and desk, their beds…and the lump under the covers of Rin’s bed.

He went in, wetting dry lips and just managing to swallow. “…Rin?” he asked, softer this time.

There was no reply. The Rin-shaped lump was statue-still—curled up under the blankets, Rin’s back to the door and Haru. He couldn’t have been asleep already—most likely not—yet, clearly…

Haru stifled a sigh, the ache doubling in his chest as he reluctantly turned back toward the door. He needed to shower and get ready for bed.

* * *

Day Five // Friday

* * *

Haru’s Rin-alarm went off right on time, barely after sunrise. “Come on, Haru, let’s go!”

He sat up with a grunt, rubbing his eyes, the blankets pooling at his waist. 

Rin was perched on the edge of the bed in his running gear, sitting upright near Haru’s feet…rather than flung down beside him on the mattress. _That’s different._ There was an easy smile on Rin’s face, his ruby hair tied back into a small tail. As soon as their eyes met, Rin grinned. “Slow poke!” He got up, giving his water bottle a little toss and snatching it out of the air. “You’ll be running laps without me if you don’t get up.”

“I’m fast in the water,” Haru muttered, pushing the covers back and grudgingly getting to his feet. He headed for his closet. “Don’t be so loud. You’ll wake—”

“Pretty sure he’s awake already.” Rin popped off Haru’s bed, dropping onto the side of his own, facing their roommate. “Wanna come, Ikuya?”

There was a yawn from the bed by the door, sheets rustling as Ikuya rolled over. “Why? Are we competing in cardio too?”

Haru opened his closet, busying himself selecting clothes…

“Nah,” Rin said behind him. “I, uh… I just thought we could do our conditioning together today.”

_Huh?_ Haru paused, holding a folded shirt and a pair of shorts as he glanced over his shoulder.

There was a trace of pink in Rin’s face and his eyes were different than yesterday—than all this week. “If you want to, I mean. No pressure.”

Ikuya’s look was wary, as if this were a trap and at any moment, the shark might dart out from hiding and attack.

But there wasn’t any of that in Rin’s expression or posture. It wasn’t exactly an apology for four days of asshole-ish behavior in Haru’s mind, yet, as an olive branch of sorts…

Ikuya blinked and sat up, the blankets sliding off his shoulder and T-shirt. “OK. I’ll come.”

Apparently, Rin woke up normal today.

-x-

Rin’s strangely good behavior persisted through their laps around the track, breakfast, clinic, two dryland sessions, and three pool sessions including freestyle relay practice. He was warm and open, lighting up each room with his smile, receiving and dishing out good-natured ribbing with the others—all of it lacking the venom of before. It was like someone took the _‘For the team’ _garden brick Rin made in elementary school and whacked him upside the head with it, gently but firmly enough to get the point across. 

The water felt better today. Haru sailed across the pool, bubbles raking down his sides with each alternating dip and pull of his arms. In no time at all, the wall was within reach—he touched just as Ikuya dove over him. It was a good exchange—fast and clean. The team improved with each iteration and Haru couldn’t wait for his next chance to swim. 

So why was…_something_ tickling the back of his mind…something off? 

No, everything was great—just like it should be.

“Nice split, Haru.” Rin was waiting for him with a grin as he climbed out.

Haru braced himself for the inevitable tackle, but it didn’t come. 

Instead, Rin held up his hand.

Their palms slapped together—for no more than a second—and Rin was back in line, waiting for his turn in the water.

Haru had a two-minute break. He went for his water bottle, bringing it to his lips as he glanced at the clock. Past seven-thirty PM already. Practice wouldn’t go much longer, then it would be time for dinner, soaking in the baths, and bed—

He realized it with his first sip, gripping the bottle with the hand that still tingled from impact—that high-five was the only time Rin touched him today.

-x-

Haru was conscious of it for the rest of the evening, in the dining hall, in the shared baths—the way Rin kept space between them, sitting near but politely so, his arm never once straying across Haru’s shoulders.

He wasn’t supposed to miss it. He _wanted_ Rin to be normal, wanted to dream this dream together without stupid rivalries getting in the way. But Haru couldn’t help but feel it—a few centimeters carefully maintained that might as well have been an ocean between them, like the distance from Australia to Japan.

Rin, meanwhile, seemed in high spirits, chatting amiably with Ikuya and their other teammates all the way until bedtime.

They climbed into their respective beds and turned off the lights, trading _Oyasumi’s_ in the dark.

Haru stared at the ceiling, listening to Ikuya’s and Rin’s breathing go soft and regular almost immediately. He’d been right after all. The teasing, the whispers, the pseudo-flirting, the rest of Rin’s attention—it had only been a competition. 

Not real. Not anything.

That was fine—that was the way it should be. They were _friends_. He didn’t want anything else.

Yet the hot lump in his throat, the raw sting in his eyes, said otherwise. Haru squeezed his eyes shut and swallowed, rolling onto his side with his back to the room.

_I guess that’s it then._


	3. Chapter 3

* * *

Day Seven // Sunday

* * *

His alarm was late. Haru stirred to daylight filtering through the curtains and the middle bed empty. Rin and his gear bag were gone. On the bed by the door, Ikuya was still asleep. They had a shorter schedule today—extra time for rest, free time for housekeeping and other errands. Rin wouldn’t skip his conditioning, but he’d let them sleep, huh?

Haru quietly crept out of bed and grabbed his practice suit. He needed the water.

-x-

Rin was there during clinic and practice—technically, but he was silent, distant, and barely said a word unless spoken to. Nothing weird happened yesterday—Rin was normal again—so Haru couldn’t figure out what had changed. 

But he felt it in the air, in the water—the bottled, restless energy of a shark swimming circles out at sea, away from everyone and everything.

Ikuya caught Haru’s gaze at lunch, gesturing toward Rin—who was sitting a few seats down at the end of the table—with a tilt of his head, as if to ask, _Is he OK?_

Haru shrugged. _I don’t know._

Ikuya pressed his lips, turning his attention back to his tray. “You should ask,” he said quietly.

_Maybe_.

-x-

Most of the afternoon, Rin was absent. Haru did laundry, hanging and folding his things away, his gaze wandering to Rin’s adjacent closet, to Rin’s empty and straightened bed.

Haru’s phone was on the nightstand they shared. He could call… Should he? Rin hadn’t seemed like talking all day. Maybe he wanted to be alone. Maybe anything Haru could say or do would only make things worse. 

Maybe he was talking himself out of it because he was afraid.

_I don’t know_. 

Haru finished putting away his clean clothes and sat down on the edge of his bed, contemplating his phone. Ikuya was on his bed by the door, headphones on, browsing through a magazine.

_I_…

Haru reached for the phone, but only got halfway. With a sigh, he slumped down to the blankets. 

Maybe after a nap, he’d know what to do.

-x-

Haru jerked awake when the door opened (he wasn’t usually a light sleeper, either). Pushing himself up on an elbow, he rubbed at his eyes in time to see Rin come in, dressed in a tank top and sweatpants with a towel draped around his neck. He was carrying his gear bag and water bottle, as if he’d just come back from the gym and the showers.

Rin stopped by his closet to stash his stuff, pausing with the closet door open as he used the towel to fluff his damp hair. His glance at Ikuya—who had switched to a book—was not subtle.

Haru sat up, smoothing the wrinkled sleeve of his T-shirt. “Rin—”

Scarlet eyes found him, the look guarded and unreadable, nonetheless sending Haru’s stomach into freefall and evaporating all the moisture from his mouth.

He somehow _knew_ what was coming, though that didn’t make him _ready_—

Rin crossed the room in four strides, the air evacuating Haru’s lungs in a rush as Rin tackled him to the bed. Haru’s back hit the mattress, his arms automatically coming up—and Rin was suddenly in them, the shark heavy on his chest, against his now-thudding heart.

Stunned, Haru fought to breathe, shaking a little as he laid his hands ever so lightly against Rin’s back. “…Rin?”

Rin tensed against him, fingers curled into Haru’s blankets, an unsteady breath exhaled into the front of his T-shirt. “…My psoas is killing me. Help me stretch.”

_That’s the lamest excuse I’ve ever heard_. He wasn’t complaining though… Haru sighed, letting his hands fall back to his sides, down against the mattress. “Fine. Let’s go downstairs.”

“_Tch_…” Rin snorted his protest, pressing his forehead to Haru’s chest. “Why bother going that far when we can just do it here?”

Haru froze, as much from Rin’s words as his… Was he nuzzling? _Do sharks nuzzle things?_ He had to close his eyes, counting off heartbeats until he could breathe again. 

There was a reason Rin was doing this, here and now. It sure hadn’t looked like his hip was bothering him when he launched himself across the room and _onto_ Haru with a flying tackle.

The last two days hadn’t been respite at all. An attempt, maybe, but only on the surface. The truth lay in the dark, frothing waters underneath, tamped down, bottled up, held back—

Haru heard Ikuya get up, opening his eyes to catch their roommate leaving with his phone and headphones…and the victorious smirk on Rin’s face as he lifted his head.

Haru’s ardor cooled, his patience dissipating in an instant. Rin didn’t seem to notice. _You think you’ve won, huh?_ Irritation flared inside him. This stupid jealousy game that no one wanted to play in the first place— _Other than you, Rin._

Kicking off the covers, Haru grabbed Rin by his shoulders and rolled him underneath, reversing their positions. Rin landed on his back with a gasp, gazing up at him with wide eyes and blush-stained cheeks, his damp hair sticking to his face and Haru’s pillow.

“Left or right?” Haru asked, hooking his hand behind Rin’s left knee.

Rin blinked at him, lips parted, thick breaths making his chest heave beneath his tank top.

“Psoas?” Haru arched a brow, drawing Rin’s leg up, folding his calf to his hamstring, each movement slow and deliberate. He slipped his leg underneath, bracing Rin’s foot against his thigh, warm through the fabric of the shorts he’d worn to bed. “Tell me when,” he said, cupping Rin’s knee and leaning in—

Rin’s breath stuttered, his face turning a deep shade of crimson. “Haru!” His fingertips dug into the sheets.

Haru stilled in place, holding Rin’s gaze for a moment longer—just to make his friend squirm. Rin deserved more than this for the last week. _But._ Exhaling, Haru relented, letting go, sitting back on his ankles. “What are you trying to prove anyway?”

Rin scrambled upright, raking hair from his face. “Look, I— I wasn’t—”

Haru rolled his eyes. “It’s really obvious, Rin. Whenever he’s around.”

Rin didn’t meet his gaze, hunched forward like a child caught being naughty. “Tch.” He folded his arms, the rest coming out in a mumble Haru had to strain to hear. “How am I _not_ supposed to be jealous? You swam IM for him. _I-only-swim-free Nanase Haruka_.”

_You idiot, Rin._ “I swam relay for you.” The words had a cool edge to them that Haru didn’t bother to soften. “I _quit_ swimming for you. I broke my promise to him because I hurt you.”

Rin’s eyes snapped to his, momentary surprise quickly giving way to guilt…regret.

Haru took pity on his friend, letting out a quiet breath. “So where do you think you factor, really?”

Rin blushed again, sober as he bit his lower lip, as he worried the ankle-cuff of his sweatpants with restless fingers, his gaze falling to the bed. “Haru, I’m sorry.” His voice came out hoarse. “I didn’t mean to make you think— Back then, I—” He cut himself off, silent for a moment before he spoke again. “I had a lot going on. It wasn’t you.”

“I know.” He’d known for a while now, but it still helped to hear Rin say it.

Rin lifted his head, making eye contact boldly despite his flushed cheeks. “You forgive me?”

“Yeah.” Haru smiled faintly. “A long time ago, Rin.”

Rin’s expression faltered, emotion running through his eyes before he blinked and looked away. His shoulders relaxed, the start of a smile curving his lips—he looked lighter all of a sudden, freer—

_We should have talked about this long before now._

Rin squared his shoulders, facing him head-on. “I owe you—a one-on-one rematch, no tears.”

Haru snorted. “You can’t race me without crying.”

“Oi!” Rin tackled him, Haru falling backwards, landing in a cloud of rumpled blankets with Rin on top of him. “Get your stuff! Let’s go!”

Haru grabbed Rin’s arm before he could escape. “Don’t change the subject.”

Rin glanced at him, arching a brow in tease. “You’re turning down pool time?”

That required a long breath, slow exhale, self-control— “No! Just—” Haru frowned. “You don’t need to be like that.”

Rin’s eyelids fell with his voice, lashes dipping toward his cheeks. “Can you…blame me for wanting us to be different?” His whisper—so uncharacteristically vulnerable and…_honest_—hung in the air between them. 

Suddenly all Haru could hear was Rin’s voice echoing in his head and his own pounding heart. “Different?”

“Mn…” Rin blushed harder. “Than…you and other people.”

Haru’s breath caught. He gazed up at Rin, startled and speechless… _Rin_, backlit by lamp light, strands of garnet hair swaying against his cheeks which were nearly the same color, his eyes glistening just a little. Even when he wasn’t smiling, Rin sparkled—better and brighter than the pool. He was like water Haru could touch and hold…and be held by in return. Did Rin even realize the way he was gripping the sleeve of Haru’s T-shirt? 

Haru didn’t have words yet, but he had _this_—wrapping his arms around Rin’s shoulders and drawing him down…

Rin was rigid for two heartbeats…then he _melted_, collapsing against Haru and letting out a huge breath, his skin hot everywhere they touched. Then again, Haru felt like he was burning too. Rin’s heart was thudding the same as his was, their shallow, timid breaths stirring each other’s hair.

_Rin_… Haru inhaled the scent of Rin and chlorine that he’d missed for two days, and for weeks, months, and years before that. He pressed closer, daring—as Rin’s arms tightened around him—to place a peck of a kiss on Rin’s warm cheek.

Haru felt it as Rin stopped breathing. His head popped up, scarlet eyes wide and fixed on Haru underneath, blushing like mad with a _what just happened?_ look on his face. But he didn’t pull away. Rin’s gaze flicked down to Haru’s mouth for a second, then—as if catching himself in the act—his eyes snapped up to meet Haru’s again.

Haru pressed lips that tasted like Rin, allowing himself to enjoy Rin’s reaction. “I _guess_…” he drew it out, gaining Rin’s full attention, “you can be my boyfriend.”

_“HUH?!?”_

Haru shrugged. “‘Different than with others…’ You’re not giving me a lot of options, Rin. I have other friends. People I swim with.” He lifted a brow. “People I stretch with.”

Rin turned dark crimson.

“Or…” Haru played it cool, like he hadn’t just laid his heart on the line. “Or we can just be rivals. And I _just happen_ to be the guy you wrote about in your sixth-grade essay.”

“Oi! Don’t bring that up!”

Haru chuckled. “Why not? It’s true—”

—But his words were muffled by Rin’s lips. Haru’s eyes blew wide, his heart skipping a beat (or two). It was soft, light pressure, shy with Rin’s eyes squeezed shut and his face matching his hair color. _Rin._ Haru relaxed—as much as he could with his stomach all aflutter—and closed his eyes, kissing Rin back…

When they finally parted, Haru was blushing too.

Above him, Rin swallowed. “…OK,” he whispered.

Haru blinked in disbelief. “OK?”

“Don’t make me say it again!”

His sound of amusement became a grunt as Rin climbed off him and off the bed, pulling him up by the hand.

“Come on—_pool_.” Rin fanned his face, simultaneously hauling Haru towards the door. “It’s way too hot in here.”

Haru managed to snag his gear bag as they went past. 

Together, they raced down the stairs and across the skybridge, trading smiles and bright looks. Haru’s lips still tingled from their kiss—he wasn’t _surprised_ that this had happened, soaking in the rightness of it, that there was something blessedly inevitable about them from the beginning (since that first smile, first race, first promise), that the water he loved had led him, led _them_, here. He felt like they were swimming already, the two of them gliding through a boundless sea, strewn with sakura blossoms—the warmth filling him like a glow.

Soon enough, they were up on adjacent blocks in the NTC pool, Rin’s grin and the snap of his goggle strap tripling the thrill Haru felt as their eyes met and they bent for the start.

“Leaving on the top,” Rin said.

“Ah.” Haru’s gaze flicked to the clock. “Ready, _go_—”

They dove in together and the water’s embrace wasn’t half as good as Rin’s had been. 

-x-

Ikuya was just getting back to their room when they returned from the pool. He glanced at them, key in hand, his headphones tucked at his throat. In his other hand, he carried a paper shopping bag. The way he studied them…could he tell something was different? Maybe.

“Ikuya, I… uh—” Rin rubbed the back of his neck, his face going pink again, damp hair swaying against his cheeks. “You know, I… I mean…” With a grunt, he hung his head and exhaled. Rin’s forehead creased as he gathered himself, silent for a couple of seconds. Then he looked up, hands coming to rest at his sides as he met Ikuya’s gaze. “Sorry.”

_Rin._ Haru relaxed.

“Got it sorted, huh?” Warmth and amusement sparkled in Ikuya’s eyes. 

_We’re boyfriends now._ They hadn’t talked about going public though, so Haru didn’t say it out loud. “Yeah,” he said instead, as Rin’s blush deepened.

“_Finally_.” Ikuya smiled. He held out the bag, opening it to show them. “Hiyori dropped this off—classic version.” There was a game console, three controllers, and a game case inside. “Wanna race?”

Haru picked up the game, studying the colorful cover. “I’m good at this one. I’ve played a lot with Makoto and the twins.”

“Hmph.” Ikuya unlocked the door. “Not as much as I’ve played with Hiyori.”

“Tch.” Rin propped a hand on his hip. “You’re _both_ going down.”

…Except, with the way he was blushing, the overall effect was more like a kitten issuing squeaky threats rather than a shark. Haru had to look away, his shoulders shaking. He met Ikuya’s gaze, which was a mistake. They sputtered at the same time, trying unsuccessfully to muffle their laughter as Ikuya opened the door and went inside.

“Oi!” Rin threw an arm around Haru’s neck, dragging him into the room.

Haru couldn’t speak, but he reached up to catch Rin’s hand, squeezing gently.

Rin’s scowl vanished. He pressed his lips as if trying not to smile, but the joy in his eyes as their gazes met was unmistakable.

Haru felt it too, smiling a smile he couldn’t hold back. _I like our new normal, Rin._


End file.
